Incinerator grate



April 30, 1935. H, O, DUERR 1,999,722

INCINEIRATOR GRATE Filed Jan. 25, 1933 2 SheetsSheet 1 EHEEEEE EEEEHEEBE (Ittomeg 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 H. O. DUERR INCINERATOR GRATE 7 Filed Jan.23, 1955 3 nventor attorney April 3U, 193

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Patented Apr. 30, 1935 UNITED STATES My invention relates to incineratorthe objects of my invention are:

First, to provide a grate of this class which is in the form of atraveling grate adapted to car-. ry the trash or the like to be burnedfrom the receiving to the discharge end of the grate, during which timecombustion of the material takes place; p

Second, to provide an incinerator grate of this class wherein theseveral grate bars maintain their adjacent relation as they pass overthe discharge end of the traveling grate whereby the ash or residue isdischarged beyond the grate rather than caused to fall through the grateand interfere with its operation;

Third, to provide an incinerator grate of this class in which theoperating portion thereof is maintained in a taut condition without theuse of adjustable idler pulleys or the like;

Fourth, to provide an incinerator grate of the class in which thetension of the operating portion is maintained even through the lengthof the grates are changed by expansion or contraction due to change intemperature;

Fifth, to provide an'incinerator grate of this class wherein any one orall of the grate bars may be removed without disturbing the remainingportion of the incinerator grate;

Sixth, to provide an incinerator'grate of this class which incorporatesan air supply means divided into a plurality of units so arranged thatlarger quantities of air are supplied to the receiving' or forwardportion of the grate and the quantity of air supplied diminishes towardsthe discharge end of the grate commeasurate with the requirements of thematerial being burned, and wherein the air supplied to each unit may beregulated, and

Seventh,,to provide on the whole a novelly constructed incinerator gratewhich is durable yet simple of construction in proportion to itsfunctions, eiiicient in its action, and which will not readilydeteriorate or get out of order.

With these and other objects in view as will appear hereinafter, myinvention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions as willbe hereinafterdescribed in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims,ref erence being bad to the accompanying drawings and to the charactersof reference thereon which forma part of this application, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view of the incineratortaken on line i--! of Fig. with my incinerator grate shown in positiongrates, and

8 Claims. (01. -40) and in transverse section; Fig. 2 is, an enlargedfragmentary plan view of my incinerator grate taken substantially alongthe line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view thereofon line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sec- 5 tional view ofthe incinerator taken along the line 5- 3 of Fig. l with the gratestructure shown in elevation; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional View online '5-5 of Fig.4 illustrating particularly the air supplyingarrangement, and Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of the dischargeend of the incinerator grate taken in a plane parallel with the viewillustrated in Fig. 4.

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts and portionsthroughout the several views of the drawings.

Incinerator housing I, drive shaft 2, drive sprockets 3, idler shaft 4,idler sprockets 5,upper track members 6, return track members 1, chains8, grate supporting bars 9, grate units It, pins H, shell plate l2,partitions l3, and air con-. trolling gates M, constitute the principalparts and portions of my novel incinerator grate structure.

The incinerator grate structure is mounted in an incinerator housing I.The incinerator housing is elongated with parallel side walls Iaconnected'by a domed roof portion of any suitable structure, not shown.At their lower portions the side walls la are provided with ledges l bwhichexten'd horizontally between the ends of the incinerator. At therear or discharge end of the incinerator just below the ledges andextending between the side walls is a drive shaft 2 upon which aremounted a pair of drive sprockets 3, one mounted under each ledge andcontiguous thereto. At the forward portion of the incinerator in similarrelation with the ledges lb is an idler shaft 4 which carries a pair ofidler sprockets 5. V

Immediately below the ledges lb and extending between the idler anddrive sprockets are a pair of upper track members 6. Continuing from theunder sides of the drive sprockets are forwardly and downwardly directedreturn track members 1; these track members terminating a considerabledistance short of the idler sprockets.

A'pair of endless chains 8 are adapted to pass around the sprocketmembers and ride upon the upper and return track members. Each chaincomprises a plurality of link members 8a connected by pins 8b whichsupport rollers 80. The rollers to are larger in diameter than the widthof the links 8a so that they rldeupon the track members andsupport'saidlink relative thereto. ,5

The inside links of the two chains are provided with depending andinwardly extending stirrup or bracket portions 8d.

Each opposite pair of brackets 8d support therebetween a gratesupporting bar 9 which is in the form of a T-iron disposed in aninverted position with the leg extending upwardly. Each grate supportingbar is adapted to receive several grate units l0. Each grate unitincludes a bifurcated leg member lfla at each end which strad-' dles theleg of the supporting bar 9 and is secured thereto by means of a pin H.Each grate unit projects above and extends along the supporting bar andforms thereabove a grid portion Nib having a plurality of slots lBcextending transversely with respect to the grate units butlongitudinally with respect to its direction of travel. The severalbetween do not increase toany material extent so that the ash is causedto pass beyond the end of the incinerator structure rather than fallbetween the grate units. The upward draft of air provided is thereforesufiicient to prevent any material sifting of the ash through theopenings in the grate bars, as will be brought out hereinafter.

As hereinbefore stated'the return track terminates in spaced relation tothe idler sprockets so that the incinerator grate structure in'passingfrom the end of the return track to the idler sprockets hangs in a loop,as indicated by A in Fig. 4., This loop comprises a suflicient number ofsections of the incinerator grate structure to at all times providesuflicient weight in order that the operating portion, that is, theupper portion of the incinerator grate structure, is maintained undertension, thus ensuring smooth action and proper connection of the chainswith the drive sprockets. As the grate becomes heated the loop A is freeto expand so that the tension is maintained substantially constant atall times and at the same time eliminates any need of adjustment as theparts'become worn; 1

The diverging-relation of the upper and lower tracks towards thereceiving end of the grate structure has the further advantage that airmay be supplied in larger quantities to the receiving end of the gratestructure as compared to the discharging portion thereof. To enhancethis feature, there is provided a shell plate I2 extending between theside walls la of the incinerator housing immediately above the lower orreturn track members and extending from a point immediately in front ofthe driving sprockets along thereturn track to a point forwardly thereofwhere it curves upwardly so as to clear the loop portion A of the gratestructure then turns up-' wardly and terminates adjacent the upperportion of the grate structure immediately back of the idler sprockets,as shown in Fig. 4. Between the ends or" the shell plate I2 there isprovided a plurality of partitions !3 which join the side walls Ia andextend upwardly to contiguous relation to the operating or upper portionof the grate structure. Here the several partitions are benthorizontally forming bridging portions l3 adapted to bridge the spacesbetween adjacent grate units. At the sides of the incinerator housingopposite each chamber B formed by the partitions l3 and the shell platel2 are openings [0. These openings vary in size according to the size ofthe corresponding chambers IB and are controlled by suitable gates I4.Byadjusting the several gates air is supplied to each unit of the gratestructure in accordance with its need. That is, at the receiving end, ofthe incinerator, the combustion end, larger quantities of air arerequired. During the major portion of the combustion large quantities ofair are still required; but as combustion becomes completed the quantityof air required may be reduced to a point where it is merely sufficientto prevent sifting of the ashes through the, grating and thereby preventthe light ash from being blown out the discharge end of the incineratorwhile still in the process of combustion. The last chamber being opentowards the discharge end of the incinerator permits a portion of theair to flow out through said discharge end and thereby reduce to aminimum any sifting of the ash downwardly through the discharge portionof the incinerator grate structure.

Though I have shown and described a particular construction, combinationand arrangement of parts, I do not wish to be limited to this particularconstruction, combination and arrangement, but desire to includein thescope of my invention the construction, combination and arrangement'substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my'invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

'1. In an incinerator grate structure, a pair of endless chainsincluding, link members and a plurality of rollers carried thereby,driving and idler sprockets for said chains, track means for saidrollers extending between the upper portions of said sprockets, trackmembers below said track means extending from the driving sprocketstowards the idler sprockets and terminating in spaced relationtherewith, said chains forming free loops between said track members andsaid idler sprockets whereby the weight of said loops maintains undertension the portions of said chains traveling along said track means,-

and grate .units extending between and carried by said chains.

, 2. In an incinerator grate structure, a pair of endless chainsincluding, link members and a plurality of rollers carried thereby,driving and idler sprockets for said chains, track means for saidrollers extending between the upper por-' tions of said sprockets, trackmembers below said.

track means extending from the driving sprockets towards the idlersprockets and terminating in spaced relation therewith, said chainsforming free loops between said track members and said idler sprocketswhereby the weight of said loops maintains under tension the portions ofsaid chains traveling along said track means, and grate units extendingbetween and carried by said chains, said grate bars disposed withtheirlower sides at their side edges approximately flush with the axes of thelinks of said chains whereby said grate bars maintain a substantiallyconstant spaced relation with each other at their lower side edges asthey pass with said chains around said sprockets.

3. In an incinerator grate structure, a pair of endless chainsincluding, link members and a.

plurality of rollers carried thereby, driving and idler sprockets forsaid chains, track means for said rollers extending between the upperportions of said sprockets, track members below said track meansextending from the driving sprockets towards the idler sprockets andterminating in spaced relation therewith, said chains forming free loopsbetween said track members and said idler sprockets whereby the weightof said loops maintains under tension the portions of said chainstraveling along said track means, a plurality of grate supporting barsextending between and supported from said chains in underslung relationtherewith, grate units mounted on said supporting bars, said grate unitsdisposed with their lower sides at their side edges approximately flushwith the axis of the links of said chains whereby said grate unitsmaintain a substantially constant spaced relation with each other attheir lower side edges as they pass with said chains around saidsprockets.

' 4. In a device of the class described, a traveling flexible endlessgrate structure forming an upper fuel supporting portion and a lowerreturn portion, driving means at the discharge end of said fuelsupporting portion, guide members for the upper portion of said gratestructure extending the length thereof, return guides for the lowerportion thereof extending partway only to the receiving end or" saidfuel supporting portion, said grate structure hanging free from saidreturn guides to said receiving end whereby the weight of said hangingportion tends to maintain tension along said fuel supporting portion.

5. In a device of the class described, a traveling flexible endlessgrate structure formingan upper fuel supporting portion and a lowerreturn portion, driving means at the discharge end of said fuelsupporting portion, guide members for the upper portion of said gratestructure extending the length thereof, return guides for the lowerportion thereof extending'partway only to the receiving end of said fuelsupporting portion, said grate structure hanging free from said returnguides to said receiving end whereby the weight of saidhanging portiontends to maintain tension along said fuel supporting portion, aplurality of chambers formed between the upper and lower portions ofsaid gratestructure, said chambers being open towards the upper or fuelsupporting portion of said grate structure, and gates for controllingthe admission of air to said chambers.

6. In a device of the class described, a traveling flexible endlessgrate structure forming an upper fuel supporting portion and a lowerreturn portion, driving means at the discharge end of said fuelsupporting portion, guide members for the upper portion of said gratestructure extending the length thereof, return guides for the lowerportion thereof extending partway only to the receiving end of said fuelsupporting portion, said grate structure hanging free from said returnguides to said receiving end whereby the weight of said hanging portiontends to maintain tension along said fuel supporting portion, saidreturn guides diverging from the guide members towards the receiving endof said fuel supporting portion, a plurality of chambers positionedbetween the return portion and the fuel supporting portions of saidgrate structure, said chambers diminishing in size from the receiving tothe discharge end of said fuel supporting portion and opening towardssaid fuel supporting portion, and gates for controlling the admission ofair to the several chambers.

7. In an incinerator grate structure, a pair of endless chainsincluding, link members and a plurality of rollers carried thereby,driving and idler sprockets for said chains, track means for saidrollers extending between the upper portions of said sprockets, trackmembers below said track means extending from the driving sprocketstowards the idler sprockets in diverging relation with said track means,said track members terminating in spaced relation with said idlersprockets, said chains forming free loops between said track members andsaid idler sprockets whereby the weight of said loops maintains undertension the portions of said chains traveling along said track means,grate units extending between and carried by said chains, a plurality ofchambers positioned between the track members and track means, saidchambers diminishing in size towards the driving sprockets and openingtowards the portion of the grate units riding on said track means, andgate means for controlling the admission of air to said chambers.

8. In an incinerator grate structure, a pair of endless chainsincluding, link members and a plurality of rollers carried thereby,driving and idler sprockets for said chains, track means for saidrollers extending between the upper portions of said sprockets, trackmembers below said track means extending from the driving sprocketstowards the idler sprockets in diverging relation with said track means,said track members terminating in spaced relation with said idlersprockets, said chains forming free loops between said track members andsaid idler sprockets whereby the weight of said loops maintains undertension the portions of said chains traveling along said track means, aplurality of grate supporting bars extending between and supported fromsaid chains in underslung relation therewith, grate units mounted onsaid supporting bars, said grate units disposed with their lower sidesat their side edges approximately flush with the axis of the links Ofsaid chains whereby said grate units maintain a substantially constantspaced relation with each other at their lower side edges as they passwith said chains around said sprockets, a plurality of chamberspositioned between the track members and track'means, said chambersdiminishing in size towards the portion of the grate units riding onsaid track means, and gate means for controlling the admission of air tosaid chambers.

HARRY O. DUERR.

